Merlin Higgs

Contributed

He was born Feb. 25, 1923, in Layton to Clarence W. Higgs and Pearl Kingsford. He was raised in Layton and Kaysville, and attended Davis County schools.

Upon the beginning of World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a radioman in a PBY unit known as The Black Cat Squadron. This unit was issued the Presidential Unit Citation for the amount of tonnage sunk by any other units in operational time.

Upon his return to the United States, he met and married Phyliss Anderson in March 1946.

To this union were born four children: Catherine Neilsen, Layton; JeAnne McAdams, Tooele; Janeane Hovey (deceased); and Elizabeth Holmes, Mayfield. Phyliss died in 1975.